Father: Henry CalpsALIVE
Mother: Samantha CalpsDECEASED

Born on Risa, Tenchie was the son of administrators who hoped their son would follow them into the pleasure industry that dominated the world. Calps, who had spent much of his time talking to the many Starfleet officers and traders that frequented the planet about what was out beyond his home world, dreamt of leaving the confines of his controlled, safe home and finding danger and thrills. Thus, when he was old enough to enroll, the youthful Risian applied to Starfleet Academy much to his parents’ displeasure.

Studying navigation and flight control, Mr Calps found the thrills he had craved while living on Risa. During his three years at the Academy, he became proficient at flying shuttles and the new runabouts that were being developed. Upon leaving the Academy for his cadet tour, Tenchie was expected to handle himself well and make a favorable impression on any captain he served under. Unfortunately, he was stationed on the USS Monitor, captained by one of the greatest scrooges in Starfleet at the time, Captain Ulysses Hidgenboro.

For three years, Tenchie was assigned to an aged Excelsior. He was forbidden from taking any exotic of hazardous maneuvers, or in his own words “Do anything fun.” The elderly captain, planning to retire in a short time, had negotiated his way into keeping the Monitor safely in the backwaters of the Federation. Nothing more than supply runs were ever given to the cruiser, and he crew was bored to tears. Tenchie would serve with the Captain until the nearly sixty-year-old captain retired from the fleet. His first officer, Commander Briggs, was a god-send for Calps. They would finally go exploring the heavens instead of patrolling the back waters of the Federation. Documenting new areas of space far from the major powers, the crew of the Monitor were able to meet developing races previously unheard of.

After leaving Captain Briggs, the then Lieutenant Calps was assigned as chief flight control officer of the USS Jamestown, an Akira class heavy cruiser. Able to serve as a fighter carrier, this ship presented a new opportunity for the thrill seeking officer. Training and qualifying for fighter flight operations, Tenchie was allowed to take out patrols in the Jamestown’s multiple fighter craft. Though officially stationed on the bridge as the helmsman, the lieutenant favored taking out the nimble fighters of his ship and performing dare-devil stunts while leading patrols. By the time of the Dominion War, however, that fun was put to an end. Needed on the bridge more than far away in a small fighter, Tenchie began to steer the Jamestown into combat.

Through-out the war, the Jamestown saw only light action compared to other vessels in the fleet. Though she took heavy damage in the battle to retake Deep Space Nine, and in certain other engagements, it was often commented that the ship’ survival could only be credited to the lieutenant at the helm. With the praise of his captain, Calps was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in the final weeks of the War. Though the Battle of Cardassia still loomed in their new future, the moral of the crew was high during the celebration of Tenchie’s promotion.

Following the end of the war, Calps stayed with the Jamestown for two more years. Though never serving as second officer, nor seeing much action during this period, he was satisfied the new calmness that settled over the galaxy. Having witnessed the deaths of many people during the previous two years of his life, the helmsman had cured his urge for excitement.

Calps received word that his mother had fallen ill in late 2376, and was granted an extended leave to be with her. Stricken with a terminal muscular disorder, doctors declared that the woman would not survive for more than a few months. Henry Calps had fallen into a deep depression, rendered unable to help his wife, or even himself. Tenchie was forced to help both of his parents for nearly three months. At last, Samantha Calps died at the age of fifty-three. Her husband, finally forcing some strength into himself, managed the funeral. Tenchie was told to return to his career, where he could at least escape the gloom that would descend upon his house.

Upon returning to Starfleet, Lieutenant Commander Calps was placed on the USS Ramada for a year as the helmsman and second officer. This was a short lived assignment. A promotion came through that sent the now Commander Calps off for a greater assignment, the first officer of the as-of-yet incomplete USS Serenity, where he would get more adventure than he had ever craved.